venturecapital

Escrow and Paymaster Frequently Asked Questions

Published on: September 21, 2020 | By Hart David Carson LLP

High-risk transactions often require the use of paymaster and escrow services. People often have questions about escrow and related services, the most common of which will be addressed here.

Who Pays Escrow Fees?

When it comes to escrow fees, there is no set rule or law that dictates who should pay them. As such, it ultimately comes down to the terms of the purchase contract. Often, escrow fees are split evenly between the buyer and the seller, but there may be instances where one party may be able to negotiate for having the other party pay them in full.

When to Use Trade Secrets Rather than Patents

Published on: September 1, 2020 | By Hart David Carson LLP

If you’re a small business with an invention, process, formula, or similar type of intellectual property, you may balk at the cost of patenting it. In some cases, keeping it as a trade secret may be a preferable option to filing for a patent.

Difference between Trade Secrets and Patents

Patents are official government licenses that give you exclusive rights to profit off of your inventions for a set period of time. It covers such items as manufacturing, reverse engineering, or selling your invention.

How Long Do IP Protections Last?

Published on: July 11, 2020 | By Hart David Carson LLP

Some types of intellectual property have limits on how long they can be covered by IP protection laws. The length of time these protections last depends on the type of IP, such as whether it’s copyrighted material, patented inventions, or trademarks. The steps you take to protect them may also come into play.

Here, we’ll look at how long IP protections last for most types of intellectual property.

Copyrights

How Does the Escrow Process Work in Real Estate Transactions?

Published on: July 2, 2020 | By Hart David Carson LLP

In the course of real estate transactions, funds are held in escrow in order to keep them secure and to protect the interests of the parties involved in the transaction. The process itself is governed by many rules, but it can be broken down into some basic steps.

What Is Escrow?

In it’s most basic sense, “escrow” refers to money being held by a third party (i.e. someone apart from the buyer and the seller) during a transaction. When someone buys a property, they place funds in an escrow account, and those funds are held there until the terms of the purchase agreement are completely finalized. Funds are released and the title to the property is transferred once the parties in the transaction fulfill the terms of the agreement.

Responding to Compliance Issues in Your Business

Published on: April 6, 2020 | By Hart David Carson LLP

A well structured business will have a compliance program in place, complete with company policies, safeguards, and reporting avenues. However, eventually, most businesses will face some form of compliance issue regardless of their efforts to prevent them. In that situation, how do you respond?

Before Anything Else, Don’t Panic

In the event that someone reports a compliance problem in your business, whether it’s a simple violation of company policy or a serious legal breach, it’s important to realize that no compliance plan is foolproof. Unfortunately, these kinds of events are normal, but lawmakers do realize as much.

Top Corporate Governance Trends for 2020

Published on: January 22, 2020 | By Hart David Carson LLP

Regulations, business trends, and socioeconomic factors can all impact the way corporations are run. As those factors change, so too will corporate governance best practices. In 2020, some of the major trends that corporations will need to account for are:

Increased digitization
Shifts in workplace culture

Advantages and Drawbacks of Licensing Intellectual Property

Published on: January 2, 2020 | By Hart David Carson LLP

Your business’s intellectual property is among its most valuable assets, and it’s important to protect it. However, there may be instances where it is advantageous to let other entities make use of your patents, trademarks, and other IP.

Licensing your intellectual property can yield various benefits to your business, but it does come with its risks as well.

Advantages of Licensing

Issuing Stock for Your Business – Advantages and Disadvantages

Published on: December 23, 2019 | By Hart David Carson LLP

One way to raise capital for your business is to issue stock. There are many advantages to doing so, but also some drawbacks that are worth remembering. Because of those drawbacks, there are a few items to keep in mind when issuing stock.

Reasons to Issue Stock

Issuing stock can be beneficial for your business in the following ways:

Should I Try Raising Venture Capital for My Business?

Published on: October 23, 2019 | By Hart David Carson LLP

Starting a new business is an exciting venture, but just because you’re excited about your new idea doesn’t mean investors necessarily will be. It’s actually harder for new startups to raise capital today than it was a decade ago, with new startups having to prove they’ll generate revenue before they’ll ever attract investors.

So how do you know if your idea can raise venture capital? Here are a few questions that should help you make the decision of whether to spend time raising investment funds.

Is Your Idea Worth the Risk?